Lay summary
This research will address the increasing gap that is evident in providing mental health support for people bereaved by suicide, self-harm, and related mental health issues in a local community. It will focus on the provision of evidence-based peer support by a community suicide prevention service. By applying a co-design process, we will develop and implement a formal evaluation process. The latter will comprise in-depth consultation with the suicide prevention service, people with lived experience, and community stakeholders; identifying critical elements to assess an effective peer support service; and a pilot study to implement a co-designed evaluation in order to support and improve mental wellbeing and reduce suicide and self-harm risk in the local community.